1.12.12

Hans Nobiling

As a youth HansNobiling played for the Hamburg club Sport 1887 Germania. The club, founded unsurprisingly in 1887, was a forerunner of Hamburg SV and shared their blue and black colours.

In 1897 Nobiling moved to Brazil. When he settled in São Paulo he carried his enthusiasm for football with him (along with an actual football) and soon set up an informal club side that was generally known as Hans Nobiling's Team.At the time much of the football activity in São Paulo took place amongst the pupils of Mackenzie College. When the college looked to broaden their horizons they approached São Paulo Athletic Club, which was made up of Englishmen. SPAC weren't keen on playing outsiders, their members played games amongst themselves. Mackenzie Collegethen approached Hans Nobiling and he obliged, so on March 5th 1899 Hans Nobiling's Team played Mackenzie in a 0-0 draw, probably the first inter club fixture in the history of Brazilian football.On August 19th 1899 a meeting took place to discuss the formation of a new club in São Paulo. Hans Nobiling was present, one of 25 attendees who included Brazilians, Germans,French, Portuguese and English.
Nobiling proposed the name- SC Germânia. This was put to the vote and rejected in favour of Sport Club Internacional. Incensed, Nobiling and his compatriots left the meeting and on 7th September founded their own club,SC Germânia They chose the Hamburg colours, blue and black.

SC Germânia: Hans Nobiling wearing the necktie

In the first edition of the Campeonato Paulista in 1902 SC Germânia finished 4th from 5 with only one win from their 8 games. Perhaps Nobiling gained some satisfaction from the fact that their win came against the club that finished bottom, Internacional.
Germania won the Campeonato Paulista in 1906 and 1916.

1904

1914

This is reputedly the the oldest picture that shows football in Brazil: